Vice-Admiral James Young who was commander-in-chief in the Leeward Islands Station made the decision to treat illegal privateering as piracy and seize any vessels without the proper commission.

Due to the tribunal of the Court of Vice-Admiralty at Antigua declaring the privateers as legal, The owners of the Hammond had Vice-Admiral James Young and Captain Thomas Dumaresq arrested for the seizing of their ship and the impressing part of the crew.

However, King George III would tell Lord Sandwich to resolve the matter quickly while not provoking the privateers due to the outcome it would have with neighbouring powers.

[6] On 3 June 1777 Dumaresq was found guilty of impressment by the Court of Common Pleas of Antigua and had to pay £950 what is approximately £160,000 in today's currency.

However, in October 1780 a hurricane formed off the coast of South America and would damage many British vessels, with the transport ship Monarch being sunk.